Fungal diseases of Shorea Macrophylla (de Vriese) Ashton in Sarawak

Preliminary disease surveillance activity in forest nurseries and plantations which was carried out in early 2003 revealed that several types of diseases were detected in Shorea macrophylla. The diseases were categorised into two, stem and foliage disease. The categorization of diseases were depends on where it found. The stem diseases were basal trunk disease (BTD), canker disease and white soft disease and found in plantations area. The foliage diseases; leaf blotch, leaf blight and yellow leaf were found most in nurseries area. Fungal associated with the diseases belong to the genera Thelephora, Guignardia, Collelolrichum, Glomerella, Phomopsis, Phialophora, Peslaloliopsis, Aspergillus, Fusarium and two other unknown species. Based on pathogenicity study, Thelephora anlhocephala found to be causal fungal pathogen for basal trunk disease, Basidiomycete sp. I found to be causal fungal pathogen for white soft rot disease, Fusarium sp. was found to be causal fungal pathogen for canker disease, three types of fungi , Collelolrichum sp., Glomerella cingulala and Phialophora sp. were found to be causal fungal pathogens for foliage diseases. Disease infection and progression for Phialophora sp. isolated from leaf blight disease was faster compared to other tested fungi after 7 days inoculation. Observation on the colonization of the fungi on wood chip under SEM indicated that the colonization of F. oxysporum were observed after one day incubation, and the Basidiomycete sp. I were observed after second day incubation by forming thick mass of mycelium. The colonization was begun when the hyphae of F. oxysporum and Basidomycete sp. 1 were observed concentrated in the vessels part of S. macrophylla wood chip. Base on physiological study, average growth rate of the tested fungi varied under the different media, light conditions, temperatures and pH . Basidiomycete sp. 1 was found grew significantly faster, in average 1.2 cm da/ on all tested media. Glomerella cingula/a and Phomopsis sp. grew equally good in all tested light conditions. In this study the fungi were categorized into mesophilic fungi because the mycelial growth as well at temperature 15°C-30°C. In present study, the growth rates of the fungi were also affected by different pH. The highest pH, 8 was recorded for Phomopsis vilicola for optimum growth rate. From this study, the information such as types of diseases found in S. macrophylla is known and documented. This information is importance especially to formulate appropriate preventive action before the occurrence of any diseases outbreak. The gathered information is also important to support and compliment in others research work especially in developing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for 5. mncrophyl/a